Lee Johnson believes the hardest part of trying to stay in the Championship might already be behind his players.

While Bristol City’s head coach acknowledges the size of the task that still lies ahead of the Robins between now and the end of the season, he argues it is more difficult to end a poor run of results than it is to maintain a recovery.

City sustained a club-record eight straight league defeats during a calamitous slide that traversed the dark mid-winter months of December and January and plunged the club headlong into a protracted fight for Championship survival.

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That dismal sequence of under-achievement was finally brought to an end when Johnson’s charges twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Sheffield Wednesday at Ashton Gate on January 31, since when the Robins have embarked upon a revival in fortunes which has seen them harvest 13 points from 10 games.

Now able to draw upon the benefit of hindsight , Johnson told The Post: “I always think it is harder to stop the rot than it is to sustain a recovery. When you are on a poor run and don’t know where the next win is coming from, loss of confidence becomes an issue.

Lee Johnson's side currently sit in the Championship relegation zone. (Image: Rogan Thomson/JMP)

“We have never stopped believing, but confidence was low during that run and turning things around took a lot of gits and character on the part of the players.

“There was a lot of external pressure back then and ending that losing streak was definitely the hardest part.”

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Now unbeaten in four matches and buoyed by back-to-back wins over Wigan and Huddersfield, the Robins head to West London for a showdown with mid-table Brentford in the belief that they can pull further clear of the relegation zone.

Johnson cautioned: “We are going to Brentford with individual players in good form and on the back of a very good team performance against Huddersfield. But there is still a lot of work to be done and we cannot afford to let complacency creep in.

“I don’t believe it will, because the players realise the position we are in and understand that there is still a lot to do if we are to get safe. I’ve always believed we would climb the table and I think a few more of the fans believe as well after that result against Huddersfield.”